Summer 2026 Surprises in the Sunshine State

The top players were expected to shine, and many did just that. But the prospects who left the biggest impact on the summer were the players who stepped it up. Many of these players were household names who have hung around and have shown flashes, but when it mattered the most, they rose to the occasion and delivered. In the process, these prospects reshaped rankings, turned the heads of college scouts, and changed the narrative. In this article, we take a look at these standouts.    [player_tooltip player_id='1207160' first='Nalah' last='Smith'] wasn't shedding tears this summer, but instead was causing them. Her play at the FABC Showcase, solidified her as one of the top power forwards in the State. Her relentless pursuit of the ball and her ability to impact both ends of the floor showed her versatility and dominance as a player. At the FABC, she was involved in some great battles and came out ahead in the toughest of matchups. From shot blocking, to scoring in the paint, to rebounding the ball, Smith was a force. Her play in Lakeland was telling, but her dominance and increased power and explosiveness were on display. Smith was a huge summer surprise.     [player_tooltip player_id='514601' first='Talia' last='Busser'] added a lot of physicality to her game over the summer and that was the summer Surprise. It was as if a light went off inside Busser and she began attacking the rim and showing she could score through physicality. Busser has always bee a force behind the arc, but it was her play at the rim that turned heads. Her quickness, determination, and physicality were the game changers for Busser.     [player_tooltip player_id='248673' first='Aubrey' last='Satterfield'] really stood out over the summer and was one of the summer surprises. She has always been a steady guard and was actually ahead of schedule in her earlier years. At the FABC, Satterfieid gained a lot of interest with her ability to run the show like a true point guard- always making sure that everyone on the team "eats" and she eats when she needs to. Satterfield impressed with her ability to get to the rim and score when needed and impress coaches and scouts with her smothering on-the ball defense.     If you were watching the Bolles this past season, then you would have known the impact that Arianna Wallker had on Bolle's first ever trip to the final four in Lakeland. Walker often took on the role of guarding the fastest player and sometimes covering the toughest assignment on the floor. This opened the game up for her teammates on the offensive end. During the travel season, Walker embraced the role as defensive stopper, but also got on the scoreboard often. Her ability to penetrate the lane and score with the left and right hand were huge surprises.     [player_tooltip player_id='514625' first='Sophia' last='Scibelli'] was a force all summer long and her growth as a player was remarkable. Throughout the summer , her shooting was consistent, and she used her shooting to set up other aspects of her game: the rip to the mid-range, the float game, and attacking the rim. Scibelli's name was hot on the recruiting trail and she received multiple college offers.     [player_tooltip player_id='514624' first='Miranda' last='Campos'] had a resurgence and looked like her Freshman self when she was dominant in the paint with incredible athleticism and grit and determination when competing. Campos was relentless on the boards and she is that player who can score off of offensive rebounds alone. Campos's athleticism stands out and that compounded with solid production on the floor led to several offers. Campos's talent was not a summer surprise, but her consistency was.

The top players were expected to shine, and many did just that. But the prospects who left the biggest impact on the summer were the players who stepped it up. Many of these players were household names who have hung around and have shown flashes, but when it mattered the most, they rose to the occasion and delivered. In the process, these prospects reshaped rankings, turned the heads of college scouts, and changed the narrative. In this article, we take a look at these standouts.